


What If....?

by OnlyJam



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Ending, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Asphyxiation, Character Death, Happy Nico, No Fluff, Well As Happy As I could Manage To Make It???, douchy jason
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-29
Updated: 2017-03-29
Packaged: 2018-10-12 11:31:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10489959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OnlyJam/pseuds/OnlyJam
Summary: What If they hadn't gone and gotten him first. What if they had taken the logical route and gone for the statue first?It was dark… Too dark. How long had it been? Two days? Two months? He had lost track fairly quickly. His lungs burned. Spots started to fill his vision. He guessed he had about an hour left before he’d finally run out of air.





	

It was dark… Too dark. How long had it been? Two days? Two months? He had lost track fairly quickly. His lungs burned. Spots started to fill his vision. He guessed he had about an hour left before he’d finally run out of air.

* * *

 

“How many times do I have to tell you? The Athena Parthenon takes priority to some demi-god that may or may not be alive!” Jason dug up his Praetor voice.

“Shut up. He’s alive.” Percy practically snarled at the son of Jupiter. 

“It’s one life to the hundreds of Romans and Greeks that could die if we don’t end this conflict!” He felt the nervous shifting of the campers before him.

“Fine…” Percy avoided his eye and chewed his lips. “But we’re going to get him after we get the statue!” A sigh was the only response the dark haired demi-god got. Hazel burst into tears behind him. He clenched his fist, it being all he could do to avoid following in the girls footsteps. 

 

* * *

Percy is on his way. Percy would save him. He was sure of it. But… then again, what reason did the son of Poseidon have for saving him? He had betrayed him to try and gain his father’s favor. If he had the energy he was sure he would’ve cried. It felt like the heavy weight on his chest was finally crushing his ribcage. Every intake of what little air he had left send sparks of pain through his veins.

* * *

 

The statue was tied to the boat. All members accounted for. Annabeth sighed, leaning against the edge of Argo II. A shudder passed through the blond girl’s spine as she remembered the near death experience she had just lived through. If Jason had been just a little slower then she would’ve become a pancake on the floor of Tartarus.

She watched with calculating eyes as Percy vehemently argued with Jason. The blond boy finally threw up his hands and sighed. The son of Poseidon’s spine straightened and a look of relief passed over his features.

* * *

 

He was going to die. Would Hazel even find out or would she think that he had just fallen off the map and abandoned her? Would his father-? That was a stupid question. His father could probably feel his life force draining right now. He’d be at his father’s side within the hour. That probably pleased the ruler of the dead. He couldn’t say that it didn’t make him at least a little bit relieved. He wouldn’t have to fight anymore. No more silent judgement from other campers. He could have peace.

* * *

 

                Leo cursed as smoke spewed from the front panel of the ship. He threw down the metal panel cover and rushed down below deck for more supplies. The tense air around the Greek campers grew. The elephant in the room stayed unspoken. “Would they get there in time?”

* * *

 

Elysium wouldn’t have a place waiting for someone like him. He just wished that he’d be able to see his sister one last time. Hazel had been so kind to him despite his cold exterior. She had embraced him and snuck her way past his barriers.

The spots started growing. What little sight he had was slowly fading away. The panic started to set in. He was going to die. Nobody was coming for him and nobody cared. He couldn’t feel his limbs anymore. Everything was cold. His thoughts were no longer coherent. Everything was so blurry.

A small voice told him to stop prolonging his suffering. He deserved to rest. It sounded faintly like his mother. Resting sounded so nice. He was so tired. Bianca would forgive him for a little nap, wouldn’t she? Nico used the last of his strength to close his eyes.

* * *

 

                A successful shout from Leo caused a lurch in the ship. They were back on track, the boat moving at a good speed. A wave of relief rolled over the occupants of Argo II.

Hazel shot up from her lazed position next to Frank. A cold chill sharply ran down her spine and dread tugged at her chest. No… no he was ok. It wasn’t him. It couldn’t be him. Unlike her brother, Hazel could sense when a demi-god died but she couldn’t tell _who_ it was.

The daughter of Pluto started to murmur a mantra of “It isn’t him.” and curled into herself, her legs drawn up to her chest and her arm’s gripped tightly to her ribcage. It did nothing to stop her tears and shaking. Frank moved over to the girl and enveloped her in a hug, not sure what was going on.

* * *

 

                “Nico Di’Angelo.” A figure stood in front of him. It took a minute for the demi-god to recognize who was in front of him.

                “Father…” The dark haired teen gave a confused look towards the God of Death. “Am I…?”

                “I apologize that you’ve become a victim of war.” Hades placed a thin pale hand on his son’s shoulder. “I wanted better for you.” The deity gestured to the seat next to his throne.

* * *

 

                 They arrived only an hour later. The titans seemed to ignore their presence, arguing in hushed whispers about something. It took Jason clearing his throat for the twin titans to notice the arrival of the demi-gods. The seven raised their weapons and charged.

                The battle had been long and grueling. None of the seven demi-gods had gotten a chance to even near the bronze jar that sat so neatly guarded behind the titans.

Percy was the first to rush towards the jar after both titans fell. The son of Poseidon used the last of the strength left in his tired muscles to remove the lid and remove it contents. The green eyed teen sat on the dusty ground with the motionless body of his friend, a hand cradling the back of the younger boy’s head.

                “Nico? Hey buddy, we came to save you.” The wavy haired teen didn’t respond. A look of confusion and panic twisted the green eyed demi-god’s features. He shook the pale demi-god. “Wake up… We gotta go back to camp.” Annabeth watched as her boyfriend grew more distressed. “You gotta wake up. People are waiting for you.” A tan hand flew to the son of Hades’ neck. A couple seconds later, Percy’s shoulders fell in defeat. Her heart clenched as tears started rolling down the boy’s face.

“No!” Hazel rushed to the dark haired demi-god’s side. Hazel fell to her knees in front of her brother. Her hand covered her mouth and tears streamed down her face. “No no no…. Please Nico no...” Her other hand shakily made its way to her brother’s mane of overgrown wavy black hair. She threaded her hand through the tangled locks. Her tears started to fall and stain the dirty black shirt beneath her. The daughter of Pluto didn’t look up as she felt Percy stand up from her brother’s body.

The dark haired demi-god stood and trudged over to where Jason stood at a respectable distance. Blind rage consumed him as he grabbed a fistful of the blonde’s trademark purple shirt and slammed him against the floor, punching him repeatedly.

“This is _your fault!_ ” The son of Jupiter fought back, pushing against the enraged demi-god above him. He heard the flurry of footsteps as Frank and Leo tried to contain Percy. The green eyed demi-god got another sharp punch to the blond’s jaw before he was finally thrown off and restrained “If we had just gotten him before that damn statue, he’d be _fine!_ ” Piper sat by Jason as he rubbed his sore, beaten jaw and avoided the eyes of the five other demi-gods.

“Percy, stop! It’s not his fault! We don’t know how long he’s been gone.” Annabeth interjected, kneeling in front of her boyfriend with a sad but steady expression, her hands on his shoulders.

“Right after the ship got fixed…” Six pairs of eyes turned to where Hazel sat with her back to them. “I felt it… I felt his last breath. If we had gone after Nico first, he’d be ok.” The demi-god’s voice shook like she was trying to be angry, but didn’t have the energy to muster up the hate. Jason curled up into himself. He could feel the son of Poseidon’s burning eyes. Guilt bloomed in his gut.          

* * *

 

                The list of demi-gods was extensive. Had they really lost so many? They had slowly but painfully gotten the statue back but the damage had been done. It had taken quite the display of fireworks on Leo’s part to get the two sides to stop fighting. Jason’s blue eyes scanned down the list with a keen eye, stopping at the very last name. The bundle of guilt that the blonde thought he had buried resurfaced.

                “Nico Di’Angelo.” Weeks after all the fallen demi-gods were put to rest, the question still bugged him. “Is it my fault?” The blonde teen had inched himself out from under Piper’s sleeping arm and now stood in front of the memorial statue. All seventy of the lost demi-gods were inscribed on the plaque. One name had a sharpie line through it. Leo had returned last week with Calypso.

No matter how hard Jason tried, he couldn’t tear his eyes from the last name on the plaque. It grazed the edge of the bronze as if the Hephaestus kids who made the panel had the names properly spaced and etched out before remembering the son of Hades.

The blue eyed teen took a deep breath and turned from the memorial, his eyes catching on the smoke rising from the woods. Curiosity got the best of the son of Jupiter.

Following the smoke had led the blonde boy to a small fire with a familiar girl standing in front of it. Hazel chanted something in Greek before throwing what looked like fast food into the flames. The flames ceased and something misty appeared.

“Hazel. It’s been a while.” An unfamiliar voice broke through the white noise of the woods. Jason’s heart dropped to his stomach as he recognized that pale face and overgrown black mane.

 “Nico…” Hazel’s voice was bittersweet and relieved. “I miss you so much…”

“I miss you too, sis. I miss everyone so much.” Hazel adverted her eyes, guilt coming off her in waves. “Hey hey… Hazel look at me. You couldn’t have helped what happened.” The girl sniffled and nodded, meeting the ghost’s eye again.

“Was it-… Did it hurt?”  The daughter of Pluto seemed on the verge of tears.

“Like hell. I don’t suggest dying from asphyxiation.” Nico admitted. “Who’s there with you?” The dead demi-god looked pointedly right at Jason.

Hazel turned to where her brother was looking. “Jason?” The son of Jupiter felt very much like a deer in the headlights.

“Umm... h-hi.” The blonde boy flushed in embarrassment and walked out into the open. “I can just go…” The teen pointed back where he had come from.

“No it’s ok… Maybe it’s better this way.” Hazel met the older demi-god’s eyes with sympathy.

“What do you mean?” Jason’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“You’ve been moping around for weeks. Maybe if you finally ask him the guilt will go away.” The blond adverted his gaze. The questions started to run through his mind at full force.

“D-do you blame me?” A confused look from Nico egged the taller demi-god to keep going. “I was the one who- who said that we should leave you and get the statue first. Do you blame me?” Jason rambled on but continued to avoid making eye contact with the ghost.

“Jason Grace, I don’t blame anyone for what happened to me. Much less you.” The blue eyed teen’s head shot up in surprise. “I don’t wish things had gone any differently.”

“But I-..”

“I’m happy here helping my father.” Jason finally understood why Nico’s voice sounded so unfamiliar. It lacked the gruff angry undertone he always used to speak with. The demi-god did sound… happy. The ghost started to flicker.

“I’m sorry.” The blonde managed out. His hands were in fists. He wouldn’t cry.

“You’re forgiven.” He was crying now. The stone in his stomach, the one that had weighed him down since they had found Nico in the jar, finally dissolved. The bundle of nervous blame finally untangled and dispersed. The guilt lessened. Nico’s ghost flickered again. 

“I love you, Nico!” Hazel butted in as her brother’s ghost flickered more and more.

“I love you too Hazel. I better not see either of you any time soon, ok?” The demi-god’s spirit finally flickered out and the fire returned to normal. The blonde demi-god scrubbed his face. He couldn’t be seen crying. Both teens silently went their separate ways and for different reasons, both walked as if a heavy weight had finally been lifted from their back.

 


End file.
